George balanchine interesting facts

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He also worked with artists like Pablo Picasso who designed sets and costumes. They also co-founded the New York City Ballet.

Early Life and Family

George Balanchine was born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He is often called the “Father of American Ballet” due to his influence in paving the way for ballet to flourish in America.He is credited with developing the neo-classical style distinct to the 20th century and is well-known for his modern-yet-classical, clean aesthetic.His trademarks include lighter costumes, minimal decor, faster movements, challenging choreography and plotless ballets.

His 1954 staging of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is probably his most famous work.

It has been performed in New York City annually since 1954 and still continues its run there, as well as in nearly every city across America and throughout the World. The ballet used simple costumes and sets so the audience could focus on the dance.

3. George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was premiered by New York City Ballet on January 17, 1962 at City Center of Music and Drama in New York.

But in 1933, he was let go. Balanchine combined the ballet techniques he learned at the Imperial Ballet School with other dance styles. They lived together, but never officially married.

He married and divorced three more times. These included shows by famous composers like Richard Rodgers.

4. He worked a lot with famous composers like Igor Stravinsky.

A crater on Mercury was also named after him.

A part of West 63rd Street in New York City was renamed George Balanchine Way in June 1990.

Awards

Selected Choreographed Works

Main article: List of ballets by George Balanchine

Notable Students

Balanchine taught many students over the years, sharing his artistic ideas.

They had to perform in small towns and even in beer gardens. He became the main choreographer for this very famous ballet company.

It was a duet called La Nuit. A 12-foot spider adorns the stage in several scenes.

8. After graduating in 1921, Balanchine studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. In 1946, he created The Four Temperaments, a modern and abstract ballet.

After some successful shows, especially with the ballet Orpheus (created with Stravinsky), the City of New York offered the company a home at the New York City Center.

He learned these styles while working on Broadway and in Hollywood. He and his friends performed it anyway. There, a famous show organizer named Sergei Diaghilev invited Balanchine to join his company, the Ballets Russes.

Balanchine was only 21 years old. He learned from teachers like Pavel Gerdt.

Balanchine stayed at the Mariinsky Theater during World War I.

The theater closed in 1917 because of a government rule.